John Huston‘s 1981 sports movie Victory is getting a remake. Per The Wrap, Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows, Non-Stop) is on board to direct the film. The story revolves around a football match between allied POWs and the German national team during World War II, to be played in Nazi-occupied Paris.
The POWS must decide whether to try and escape, or work to defeat the Nazis on a national stage and humiliate them publicly. The original film starred Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone, and Pele.
Gavin O’Connor and Anthony Tambakis wrote a draft of the script in 2017. Tambakis is now reportedly working on a rewrite. It’s a curious move for Collet-Serra, who has usually stuck to action and horror over the course of his career. He just finished directing Disney’s Jungle Cruise, which stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.
However, he picked that project over the Suicide Squad sequel, which seemed more up his alley. Perhaps he’s consciously making a decision to step away from the genres he helmed in the past.
On the surface, Victory might seem like a strange film to remake. But World War II as a subject is timeless, and a film where Nazis are humiliated would be very welcome right now. We’ll see what Collet-Serra can do in a genre he hasn’t really tackled before.
#Peace.Love.Victory
